Steve Lewis (diver)

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Steve Lewis (born 1950) is an active cave and wreck diver. Born in Peckham, New Cross London, he currently resides in Muskoka, Ontario Canada.

Contents

Teaching Credentials

Lewis has been an instructor-trainer with Technical Diving International (TDI) since its formation in 1994. Lewis served as a member of its Training Advisory Panel until 2005 when he became director of product development for International Training, and later served as the Marketing and Communications director for TDI, Scuba Diving International (SDI) and Emergency Response Diving International (ERDI) the public safety diver certifying branch of International Training.

From 2010 until the present he works as an adventure travel, marketing, and training consultant for various clients in the public and private sectors.

In September 2015, he was named as a factory-sanctioned instructor-trainer on the SF2 rebreather by ScubaForce USA [1] And in November of that year, was appointed as a member of the College of Fellows of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.

In February 2016, Lewis joined RAID Rebreather Association of International Divers as an instructor-trainer and developed that organization's cave diving program.

In June 2019, Lewis took over the position of Director Diver Training with RAID as Paul Vincent Toomer vacated the seat and became RAID's president. His responsibilities include reworking the agency's training materials and course standards.

Following the sale of RAID to (the DRI investment group in January of 2022), Lewis became one of the agency's shareholders and left the training department to take on the role of Vice President Marketing.

Publications

He has published dozens of articles about diving and diver training for various publications and is managing editor of Diving Adventure Magazine. [2] Lewis has written several textbooks and instructor guides such as TDI's Advanced Trimix and SDI's Solo Diver, Nitrox, and Advanced Adventure Programs. [3] [4] His books on diving include: The Six Skills and Other Discussions, a guide for technical divers; [5] and Staying Alive: Applying Risk Management to Advanced Scuba Diving. [6] In August 2018, Lewis published Death in Number Two Shaft [7] the account of the aftermath of the death of his close friend Joe Steffen during the first expedition to Bell Island Mine.

Bell Island mine expedition

Lewis is a member of The Explorers Club [8] and in 2006 led a team that photographed and assessed the Bell Island iron ore mine for "condition, safety and feasibility" of future research. [9] [10] [11] The Bell Island mine is located off Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula in Conception Bay. [9] Their report also provided the Bell Island Heritage Society with important information on artifacts left when mining operations ended in the 1940s. [9]

On February 4, 2007, Lewis's good friend and expedition member Joseph T. Steffen lost his life on a dive into the mine. [12] The project continued despite the loss of this explorer and team members managed to lay approximately two kilometers of line and document many of the mine's artifacts. [13] [14]

In February 2016, Lewis and several other notable technical divers returned to Bell Island Mine to continue the work begun in 2007. [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trimix (breathing gas)</span> Breathing gas consisting of oxygen, helium and nitrogen

Trimix is a breathing gas consisting of oxygen, helium and nitrogen and is used in deep commercial diving, during the deep phase of dives carried out using technical diving techniques, and in advanced recreational diving.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Technical diving</span> Extended scope recreational diving

Technical diving is scuba diving that exceeds the agency-specified limits of recreational diving for non-professional purposes. Technical diving may expose the diver to hazards beyond those normally associated with recreational diving, and to a greater risk of serious injury or death. The risk may be reduced by appropriate skills, knowledge and experience, and by using suitable equipment and procedures. The skills may be developed through appropriate specialised training and experience. The equipment involves breathing gases other than air or standard nitrox mixtures, and multiple gas sources.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deep diving</span> Underwater diving to a depth beyond the norm accepted by the associated community

Deep diving is underwater diving to a depth beyond the norm accepted by the associated community. In some cases this is a prescribed limit established by an authority, while in others it is associated with a level of certification or training, and it may vary depending on whether the diving is recreational, technical or commercial. Nitrogen narcosis becomes a hazard below 30 metres (98 ft) and hypoxic breathing gas is required below 60 metres (200 ft) to lessen the risk of oxygen toxicity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Recreational diving</span> Diving for the purpose of leisure and enjoyment, usually when using scuba equipment

Recreational diving or sport diving is diving for the purpose of leisure and enjoyment, usually when using scuba equipment. The term "recreational diving" may also be used in contradistinction to "technical diving", a more demanding aspect of recreational diving which requires more training and experience to develop the competence to reliably manage more complex equipment in the more hazardous conditions associated with the disciplines. Breath-hold diving for recreation also fits into the broader scope of the term, but this article covers the commonly used meaning of scuba diving for recreational purposes, where the diver is not constrained from making a direct near-vertical ascent to the surface at any point during the dive, and risk is considered low.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scuba diving</span> Swimming underwater, breathing gas carried by the diver

Scuba diving is a mode of underwater diving whereby divers use breathing equipment that is completely independent of a surface air supply, and therefore has a limited but variable endurance. The name "scuba", an acronym for "Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus", was coined by Christian J. Lambertsen in a patent submitted in 1952. Scuba divers carry their own source of breathing gas, usually compressed air, affording them greater independence and movement than surface-supplied divers, and more time underwater than free divers. Although the use of compressed air is common, a gas blend with a higher oxygen content, known as enriched air or nitrox, has become popular due to the reduced nitrogen intake during long or repetitive dives. Also, breathing gas diluted with helium may be used to reduce the likelihood and effects of nitrogen narcosis during deeper dives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Advanced Open Water Diver</span> Recreational scuba diving certification slightly above minimum entry level

Advanced Open Water Diver (AOWD) is a recreational scuba diving certification level provided by several diver training agencies. Agencies offering this level of training under this title include Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), and Scuba Schools International (SSI). Other agencies offer similar training under different titles. Advanced Open Water Diver is one step up from entry level certification as a beginner autonomous scuba diver. A major difference between Autonomous diver equivalent Open Water Diver (OWD) certification and AOWD is that the depth limit is increased from 18 to 30 metres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scuba Diving International</span> Recreational diver training and certification agency

Scuba Diving International (SDI) is a Scuba training and certification agency. It is the recreational arm of Technical Diving International, a technical diver training organization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Technical Diving International</span> Technical diver training and certification agency

Technical Diving International (TDI) claims to be the largest technical diving certification agency in the world, and one of the first agencies to offer mixed gas and rebreather training. TDI specializes in more advanced Scuba diving techniques, particularly diving with rebreathers and use of breathing gases such as trimix and heliox.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Nitrox Divers International</span> Recreational diver training and certification agency

American Nitrox Divers International was founded by Ed Betts and Dick Rutkowski in 1988.

The World Recreational Scuba Training Council (WRSTC) was founded in 1999 and is dedicated to creating minimum recreational diving training standards for the various scuba diving certification agencies across the world. The WRSTC restricts its membership to national or regional councils. These councils consist of individual training organizations who collectively represent at least 50% of the annual diver certifications in the member council's country or region. A national council is referred to as a RSTC.

Master Scuba Diver (MSD) is a scuba diving certification or recognition level offered by several North American diver training agencies, such as the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI), the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), Scuba Diving International (SDI), and Scuba Schools International (SSI). Other agencies offer similar programs under other names, such as "Elite Diver". Each of these agencies touts their program at this level as the highest, non-leadership program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Mount</span> Pioneering technical and cave diver (1939–2022)

Tom Mount was an American pioneering cave diver and technical diver.

"Captain" Billy Deans is a pioneering wreck and technical diver. "Captain" is the nickname which is widely applied to Billy Deans, however he is a US Coast Guard-rated captain up to 100 tons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques</span> International organisation for underwater activities

Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS) is an international federation that represents underwater activities in underwater sport and underwater sciences, and oversees an international system of recreational snorkel and scuba diver training and recognition. It is also known by its English name, the World Underwater Federation, and its Spanish name, Confederación Mundial De Actividades Subacuáticas. Its foundation in Monaco during January 1959 makes it one of the world's oldest underwater diving organisations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bret Gilliam</span> Pioneering technical diver and author (1951–2023)

Bret Clifton Gilliam was an American pioneering technical diver. He was most famous as co-founder of the certification agency Technical Diving International along with Mitch Skaggs, and as the one time holder of the world record for deep diving on air. He is also one of diving's most popular writers. Gilliam is the author or coauthor of 72 books, over 1500 feature magazine articles, and over 100 magazine cover photos. In his diving career he has logged over 19,000 dives(NOT VERIFIED) since 1959.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rebreather Association of International Divers</span> Recreational diver training and certification agency

Dive RAID International is a dive training organization which was founded in 2007 by Barry Coleman to support diver training for the Poseidon Mk VI Discovery Rebreather. It has since extended its scope to include open circuit scuba training and training for both recreational and technical diving sectors as well as snorkeling and freediving.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Autonomous diver</span> International minimum standard for entry level recreational scuba diver certification

Autonomous diver is an international minimum standard for entry level recreational scuba diver certification. It describes the minimum requirements for basic training and certification for recreational scuba divers in international standard ISO 24801-2 and the equivalent European Standard EN 14153-2. Various organizations offer training that meets the requirements of the Autonomous Diver standard. A certification which corresponds to Autonomous Diver allows for independent diving with a dive buddy in open water. Most training organizations do not recommend exceeding a depth of 18 or 20 meters at this level of certification. After completion of this certification the training can be extended to a dive leader to ISO 24801-3 or an intermediate not defined by international standards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of scuba diving</span> History of diving using self-contained underwater breathing apparatus

The history of scuba diving is closely linked with the history of the equipment. By the turn of the twentieth century, two basic architectures for underwater breathing apparatus had been pioneered; open-circuit surface supplied equipment where the diver's exhaled gas is vented directly into the water, and closed-circuit breathing apparatus where the diver's carbon dioxide is filtered from the exhaled breathing gas, which is then recirculated, and more gas added to replenish the oxygen content. Closed circuit equipment was more easily adapted to scuba in the absence of reliable, portable, and economical high pressure gas storage vessels. By the mid-twentieth century, high pressure cylinders were available and two systems for scuba had emerged: open-circuit scuba where the diver's exhaled breath is vented directly into the water, and closed-circuit scuba where the carbon dioxide is removed from the diver's exhaled breath which has oxygen added and is recirculated. Oxygen rebreathers are severely depth limited due to oxygen toxicity risk, which increases with depth, and the available systems for mixed gas rebreathers were fairly bulky and designed for use with diving helmets. The first commercially practical scuba rebreather was designed and built by the diving engineer Henry Fleuss in 1878, while working for Siebe Gorman in London. His self contained breathing apparatus consisted of a rubber mask connected to a breathing bag, with an estimated 50–60% oxygen supplied from a copper tank and carbon dioxide scrubbed by passing it through a bundle of rope yarn soaked in a solution of caustic potash. During the 1930s and all through World War II, the British, Italians and Germans developed and extensively used oxygen rebreathers to equip the first frogmen. In the U.S. Major Christian J. Lambertsen invented a free-swimming oxygen rebreather. In 1952 he patented a modification of his apparatus, this time named SCUBA, an acronym for "self-contained underwater breathing apparatus," which became the generic English word for autonomous breathing equipment for diving, and later for the activity using the equipment. After World War II, military frogmen continued to use rebreathers since they do not make bubbles which would give away the presence of the divers. The high percentage of oxygen used by these early rebreather systems limited the depth at which they could be used due to the risk of convulsions caused by acute oxygen toxicity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of underwater diving</span> Hierarchical outline list of articles related to underwater diving

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to underwater diving:

References

  1. ↑ "SDI Announces Several Key Appointments". DiveNewsWire.com. Retrieved 2009-07-02.
  2. ↑ "Diving Adventure Magazine". 2006-12-28. Retrieved 2009-07-02.
  3. ↑ Lewis, Steve. TDI Advanced Trimix Manual for Scuba Diving. Technical Diving International. ASIN   B000NP0PPW.
  4. ↑ Lewis, Steve. SDI Solo Diver Manual. Scuba Diving International.
  5. ↑ "six skills promo ordering" . Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  6. ↑ Lewis, Steve (2014). Staying Alive: : Applying Risk Management to Advanced Scuba Diving. ISBN   978-0981228044.
  7. ↑ Lewis, Steve (28 July 2018). Death in Number Two Shaft: The Underwater Exploration of Newfoundland's Bell Island Mine. ISBN   978-1724493248.
  8. ↑ "The Explorers Club Canadian Chapter: Member Biographies & Websites". The Explorers Club. Archived from the original on April 16, 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-02.
  9. 1 2 3 "Historic dive made "below the bell"". Bell Island Heritage Society and Ocean Quest Adventure Resort. August 3, 2006. Retrieved 2009-07-02.
  10. ↑ Gallant, Jeffery (Sep–Oct 2006). "Tech team dives 'Below the Bell'" (PDF). Diver. Retrieved 2009-07-02.
  11. ↑ Doppler (Lewis, Steve) (9 January 2007). "Bell Island Expedition "Mine Quest": Our Personnel" . Retrieved 2009-07-02.
  12. ↑ Lowers, Deborah (2007-02-13). "Family, friends say goodbye to RH official". The News-Herald. Retrieved 2009-07-02.
  13. ↑ "Map showing approximate location of lines and places of interest". 2007-02-14. Retrieved 2009-07-02.
  14. ↑ Dekina, Vlada (2007). "Mine Quest - Diving the Mines of Bell Island". wrecksandreefs.com. Retrieved 2009-07-02.
  15. ↑ "The Bell Island Mine Quest Expedition • Scuba Diver Life". 18 February 2016.
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